Exalted
by kycou
Summary: Fox smiled. He could remember the day. The day he reached Dark Knight. The day he smiled in the face of his friends. The day he watched Raillin, Pride of Warriors die at the hands of the Black Mage. The day he lost his honor. He could remember the day...
1. Exiled

Chapter 1: Exiled

I took a step forward and fell to one knee; I knew the branches of the magical tree would hold me, but I didn't care anymore…there weren't any good reasons to live.

I stood up and patted the dust off of my tattered cloak; I wanted it to stay clean, but even in my current state of mind I knew it just didn't matter, I would be found, and eventually I would be caught.

A small shadow dashed to my side and my partner Echo darted from the sky to my shoulder.

"Fox, there's one on their way" The green dragon said as he sat on my shoulder

I didn't respond, instead I stopped and waited.

"You there! I am looking for a man-" A voice called out to me from behind.

I started to turn around and the man stopped talking.

"I see…"

"Then Fox, Exile of Dark Knights…you are now under arrest, come with me and we won't need to fight" The man said with a calm voice as he held up a scroll.

"Fly" I whispered to Echo as I held out my hand and a spear rose from the ground to meet it.

Echo took flight into the air and I charged at the man. The man ran backward and threw several stars at me. I swung my spear and knocked some of them out of the air, but I was still hit by a few. I finally closed in on the man and with firm footing on the ground I enveloped myself in a beam of light and forced the man backward into a tree, where he hit his head and fell unconscious, after the short battle Echo descended onto my shoulder again.

I looked into the man's face, and in his peaceful expression I could see that of my friends…Nitro, Rag. D-.

I fell to my knees and spat blood onto the ground, but a few drops landed onto my brown cloak.

"You should take off the cloak, it only makes you look like a criminal" Echo teased

"I am…" I said as I turned around and continued to progress. It wasn't the time for jokes, that time had been gone ever since I watched Raillin die.

"Raillin ran forward into the Black Mage's lair…somehow he knew what was coming, but the Black Mage had to be stopped, and he was the only one who could do it" I said to myself as I walked forward with my eyes closed.

"I snuck in behind him, I had only seen this place in my dreams…but I stopped, I could feel something happening"

"I entered the Black Mage's throne room and watched it happen. 'This is over!' Raillin said as he dropped his spear Fairfrozen and became encased in ice as the spear shattered on the ground. When Raillin broke free he had the claws of a dragon, the wings of a dragon, and a prehensile tail made of ice. A holy glow enveloped Raillin and he charged forward…I looked at his target, and it was the Black Mage himself, his very presence pained me, a deep pain that didn't affect my body…but my spirit." I monologued

"Fox…the more you remember that event, the more it'll hurt you" Echo said mournfully

"If I forget, then my reason for being who I am will vanish" I responded quietly

"The reason for being who you are will _never_ vanish" Echo angrily replied as he held onto my cloak with his feet and into the air, ripping the cloak off of my body, revealing my Dark Master Sergeant and my Dark Commodore Pants.

I ignored him and continued to recollect what happened exactly as it happened. "I watched the Black Mage put his gloved hand through Raillin's chest with no effort, then throw him aside as though he were nothing. I ran forward to Raillin's side and tears welled up in my eyes. 'Raillin!' I exclaimed…but only the Black Mage and Raillin were there to hear me. 'Whatever happens, remember what you've seen, and ascend higher than I have, let nothing stop you, follow your heart, and remember your…' Railin turned his head to the side against the stone floor and closed his eyes. I finally stood up with hatred in my eyes and my spear in my hands and I charged at the Black Mage. Instead of fighting me he swung his arm and spattered Railin's blood onto my clothes and he vanished. In an instant several people entered the Black Mage's lair and looked at Railin, then me." I finished.

I stopped walking then opened my eyes; I was at the Ellinia station headed to Ereve, I paid the Piyo Kiriru three-thousand mesos and boarded the flying boat to Ereve.

I rubbed my hand through my thick and unruly blond hair and took a small green potion out of a small bag on my side, I took a gulp and fell to my knees. I knew those stars weren't normal…they were laced with poison. I didn't resist fainting this time, I dropped the drink and I fell forward into a deep sleep.

"_You…killed Raillin" A man said with clenched fists._

"_No, I…I didn't" I stammered as I took a step back, the visions of the Black Mage killing Raillin haunted my mind._

"_Liar!" The man yelled as he charged forward and struck me down with an axe._

_I awoke hours later in handcuffs in front of a large group of people wearing different colored robed, each robe represented their class._

"_We are the Forth Order, we are the greatest warriors of our classes, Bishop, Arch Mage of Fire and Poison, Arch Mage of Ice and Lightening, Hero, Dark Knight, Paladin" I listened to the leader of the council talk as I looked around. My friends stood behind me, some of them looked disgusted while others looked scared for me._

"_You are suspected of killing Raillin, Dragon Dancer of Darkness. He was one of the few masters who has ascended above the council. What do you have to say for yourself?" The leader of the council asked_

"_I didn't do anything! I watched Raillin die at the hands of the Black Mage himself!" I yelled back_

"_Then you will prove that you didn't, however, you will be exiled from everything you know and love." The master of the council said as he held up a hand._

_A woman with a spear appear in front of me and held out her hand. "I am Lyla, Master of Dark Knight. From this day forward you will no longer be known as a Dark Knight or a master adventurer, the spear that tells the story of your adventurers and the medal that identifies you as a master of Dark Knights are no longer yours."_

_I looked behind me at my friends who watched as I handed over my spear Stormshear and Master Advenurer Medal._

_The woman took my items and vanished., then Ray, the leader of my guild took her place._

"_I'm sorry Fox, but you no longer belong to Snowflake" Ray said as he took the guild emblem of Snowflake off of my Black Neos Top._

"_Sorry" Ray said then he vanished and Neinheart took his place. "You are no longer the Caastrophe of Ereve" Neinheart said then he vanished._

"_Fox, Exile of Dark Knight, leave this council in shame" The leader of the council demanded as he pointed to the door._

_I turned around and passed my friends who watched as I left in despair. After I completely left the room everything around me vanished and I was in the floating city Orbis._

I woke up to find Echo clawing my face playfully. "Get up Fox, we're at Ereve"

I stood up with a smile and stepped off of the boat. I walked through Ereve until I entered the Main Sanctuary where Cygnus resided.

I watched as the leaders of the Knights of Cygnus sat down doing paperwork and waited until I was noticed.

"Hey, its Fox" the Thunder Breaker Hawkeye said with a smile. "It's been a while"

"Yeah" I said with a smile back "Now get back to your work"

I laughed with Hawkeye, he always tried to get out of work, he was almost as lazy as I was.

"Foxxy!" Oz, the Blaze Wizard yelled as he jumped up from her desk and tackled me, followed by Irene.

The Night Walker Eckhart and the Dawn Warrior Mihile walked over to me and gave me a handshake one at a time; showing any type of emotion wasn't their specialty.

I waited a while, then I approached Neinheart, Shinsoo, and Cygnus.

"These posters are appearing everywhere, and we still haven't figured out who's offering the reward" Neinheart said as he handed a piece of paper to me.

"Wanted…Fox, Exile of Dark Knights…Reward…2.1 billion mesos" I read aloud

"That's a bit extreme isn't it?" I asked

"Whoever is doing this really hates you" Cygnus assumed.

"This would be much easier on me if I knew who my friends were. After I was exiled I lost contact with everyone I knew" I said as I rubbed the back of my neck

The great dragon Shinsoo stood up and looked down into my eyes. "Then look into my eyes and find your friends."

I looked into Shinsoo's kind blue eyes and I could see everything.

_Rag looked around with his Stonetooth in his hands then he smirked, he took off his cape and tossed it to his side, revealing another sword. He unsheathed the sword on his back and he started to glow._

"_Now you will what a Champion really is" Rag said as he held a Stonetooth sword in one hand and a reverse Nibleheim in the other._

_Nitro jumped high into the air and slammed his white Zedbug onto the ground and forced everything around him to shake violently, before he completely finished his attack he raised his pole arm with one hand and smashed it on the ground and completely tore up the ground._

_Ray slid backward and threw a single glowing star into the air, the sky became black and thousands of balanced furies rained from the skies and completely destroyed everything around him. In the blink of an eye the balanced furies were gone._

_Dustin waited for the man's attack with his hands in his pocket. The man jumped high into the air and swung his axe._

_Dustin smiled "It's something I learned a while back, you completely master the arts of ice and lightening"_

_A sheet of ice rushed from the ground into the air to block the Hero's attack. The hero jumped back and charged forward, but without his knowledge Dustin teleported behind him. The man looked around and started to turn around, then he suddenly became encased in ice._

I fell to my knees and spat out black blood onto the ground and it splashed onto Shinsoo's feathers.

"Damn…" I said as I fell forward and blacked out.


	2. Neinheart's Emergency Call

Chapter 2: Neinheart's Emergency Call

The two intruders fell from the sky and landed side by side, each with a differently glow. The first intruder stood up holding a glowing Craven he took a step forward and dusted off his blue Stormcaster Gloves. The second intruder stood up and unsheathed a green glowing Reverse Executioner, he dusted off his Black Battle Lord and took a step behind the first intruder.

"What are you doing here?" Mihile glared at the intruders and unsheathed his Devil's Sunrise.

The Hero intruder smiled and pointed forward at Fox, who laid under one of Shinsoo's glowing wings.

"He's hurt?" The Night Lord took a step forward, but Eckhart wouldn't let him pass.

"Yeah, he is, so you should probably leave while we finish healing him" Oz snapped as she raised her wand.

"Nah…if he wait until he's healed then he'll resist us. The weaker he is the less fighting we'll need to do" the Night Lord spoke with kind words, but cruel intentions.

"You'll need to get through us" Irena held up her bow and aimed carefully.

Neinheart took a step forward and raised his hands, creating a barrier between the two intruders and the knights of Cygnus. "No one will be getting through anything"

"Sorry, but we need to get Fox outta here." The Night Lord threw a punch and the barrier shattered.

"It's…good to know…some weakling isn't here to capture me" Fox held his chest and stood up.

"Fox, you're not well, please, we'll handle this…just lie back down" Cygnus held a hand out to Fox.

"I…don't need any help" Fox charged forward with his wooden spear in hand. He jumped high into the air and swung it at the Night Lord, but his attack was intercepted by the Hero, who grabbed Fox by a leg and threw him at a nearby tree.

Fox stood up and threw up blood; he wiped his mouth then charged forward again. He charged at the Hero and grabbed him by the collar on his Taragon. Fox pushed him backward and tripped him forcing him onto the ground. Fox raised his spear for the final attack, but as he did a shining object pierced his body.

Fox held his chest, then slowly turned around. A Crystal Ilbi soaked with blood was imbedded in a tree. The Hero quickly stood up, and as hard as he could he elbowed Fox in the back. Fox dropped his wooden spear and went flying.

"That was pretty close to being fatal. Don't move around so much, we don't wanna kill you" The Night Lord approached the fallen Fox and held out a star.

Mihile and Eckhart jumped high into the air and stood between the intruders and Fox.

"You won't go any further…" Mihile brandished his sword.

Fox rolled over onto his back and spoke softly. "Get out of my way…I can fight by myself"

"W-What?" Eckhart looked down at Fox who tried to stand again, but pitifully fell forward onto his chest.

"Fox, we're here to help you" Mihile brandished his sword once more.

"I said…get out of my way" Fox finally stood up and reached for his wooden spear.

The intruders started an attack on the Knights of Cygnus, but before they could even move two blue rings with ancient symbols appeared in the sky. Fox looked into the air and his eyes widened; he knew what that meant from anywhere. It was Neinheart's Emergency Call…with it he could teleport anyone from anywhere to Ereve, but no matter what he would only use it in times of emergency.

Two men decended from the large rings in the sky. One of them held a Reverse Nibleheim with one hand, the other held a Zedbug. They both landed on the ground and stood above Fox.

"…he got beat up…" the Aran said with a smirk.

"Shut…up…Nitro…" Fox took a step back to face the two mystery men.

"Fox? Are you alright?" the Hero said as he put his hand on Fox's shoulder.

"Get off of me" Fox growled as he pushed the Hero's hand away.

"I hope you're not here for the bounty on Fox…I really don't feel like fighting another hero…" the Hero intruder called out disapprovingly

"First of all…I'm not a Hero. My name is Rag and I'm a Champion…second, Fox is my friend, and we're here to beat you down for hunting Fox" The Hero smiled

"Ch-Champion?" The Night Lord intruder took a step forward to face Rag directly.

"Yeah, not many Heroes pass the fourth job advancement…but I guess talking isn't as good as showing…" Rag took off his cape revealing a second Reverse Nibleheim. He put his hand on the hilt of the second Nibleheim and the ground started to shake. Rag pulled put the second Nibleheim and he started to glow blue. His Black Neos top and bottom became replaced with a white cloak. And his Zakum Helmet and broken glasses vanished. Revealing his spiky black hair and icy blue eyes.

The Hero intruder charged forward and swung his sword at Rag with full force. The sword hit Rag's skin and broke on impact, shattering into hundreds of pieces.

"Now…you're going to start talking" Rag took a step forward and the ground shook as he stepped.

The Hero intruder dropped the hilt of his sword and held his hands up. "What do you want to know."

The Night Lord stood beside the Hero and dropped his Craven…he knew they couldn't win, they couldn't face Rag, let alone Rag and Nitro.

"Who is giving the bounty on Fox?" Rag smirked.

"I don't know, but whoever it is…is pretty high up" The Night Lord answered

"What?" Nitro took a step forward

The Night Lord and Hero each held up a Rock of Time. Rag and Nitro gasped as they two held up the glimmering stones.

"W-What does that mean" Mihile injected himself into the conversation.

"Pink Bean is the only thing that drops these…and the only group who has ever killed it was the Council of the Fourth. Every member has 1 Rock of Time…" The Hero's voice trailed off

"So?" Nitro yawned

"We were promised 2 more Rocks each upon bringing Fox with us. This means someone in the Council has set the reward, and whoever is giving the reward has a few helpers…" The Night Lord help up a Teleport Rock and touched his Hero friend on the shoulder.

"We got these and a note telling us to capture Fox from a Wyvern…a trained wyvern…Good luck…Fox" and with that, the two intruders were gone. Leaving a glowing Craven and broken sword pieces on Ereves soft grass.

Nitro and Rag turned to face Fox, who sat down and leaned against a tree trying to cover his still fresh wounds with his hands.

"Well…that was close huh?" Nitro smiled and held out his hand.

"I said I didn't want your help…now leave me" Fox growled back-handed Nitro's hand away from him.


	3. Since you died

Chapter 3: Since you died.

Rag and Nitro looked at me like I was crazy, but I couldn't blame them. Bleeding, poisoned, cut, knocked down; I could only imagine how pitiful I looked through their eyes.

"What?" Rag laughed

I stood up to face him and readied my spear.

"If you're going to fight, you should at least get the poison expelled from your body…" Nitro started to take a step forward, then I glared at him, forcing him to take a step back.

My breathing was heavy and I would faint soon. I needed to get out of Ereve, I needed to redeem myself. "I need to get out of here, now stand aside"

Rag looked to Nitro, Nitro looked to Cygnus, Cygnus looked to Shinsoo, and Shinsoo looked back to me. "If we need to we'll take you down, just to heal you." Nitro took a step forward, Zedbug in hand.

I coughed then fell to my knees. I wouldn't be able to fight back with this wooden spear…I needed a distraction. "Fox!" Echo flew from the sky to my side…the perfect distraction.

"Is the Cave of Life" I coughed again "Is it as I imagined?" I improvised.

Echo thought a while then looked to me "Yes, they are prepared for your arrival" Echo took his place on my shoulder as I stood up.

"The Cave of Life? Why are you going there…?" Nitro finally eased up.

"I'm meeting someone there, someone who could turn this whole situation around for me" I lied through my teeth. I just needed a place to get away…

"If you're going there…then Nitro and I will accompany you, you won't be able to fight in the condition that you're in…" Rag put his hand on my shoulder and smiled. He had no idea what I was planning…unfortunately neither did I.

Cygnus held out a small bottle and I cautiously took it. "Here, it's a special elixir, no matter what kind of trouble you're in, this will restore you to full health"

I held the bottle in the air and left for Ereve's Sky Ferry followed by Rag and Nitro. I paid the Piyo extra to let Rag and Nitro on as well and we were off. I took a seat on one end of the Ferry while Rag and Nitro took a seat at the other end. I closed my eyes and started to doze off, sooner than I knew I wasn't on the Sky ferry anymore…

I awoke in Leafre covered with sweat. I don't know what happened, but I could feel myself shaking, I saw myself die.

"I-I" I couldn't make myself talk. I looked to Nitro and Rag for help, but the pain was in my mind. My fear…

I took a deep breath and tried to clear my mind, but no matter what I thought about, I couldn't do it. Whatever I saw scared me, the fear bit away at my reality.

I took a deep breath and sighed, standing up at the same time, still shaking. "L-Let's go"

"Fox, maybe you should rest" Nitro put a hand on my shoulder, but I pushed it off, falling down to my knees.

"No, I don't need a rest…I need…" I didn't finish my statement

"Then at least drink that elixir, if I recall…you're still poisoned…" Rag helped me up, but I ignored him, starting my trek through Leafre.

I entered Dragon Forest, Rag and Nitro close behind me. It pained me, it pained me to think I knew that I was going to betray Nitro and Rag, the two friends that stuck with me through everything. The two friends that _knew _I didn't kill Raillin. The two friends who wouldn't believe it even if I told them myself, something I would do in the near future.

I fell to my knee and started to cough. Rag jumped to my side and picked Cygnus's elixir from my pocket "Don't make me hold you down while Nitro pours this down your throat" Rag smiled

I pushed Rag's hand away and carried on after wiping the blood from around my mouth. It sickened me that I wasn't willing to accept the help from anyone, even the friends who would lay down their lives for me, as I would do the same for them.

I closed my eyes as I traveled through Dragon Canyon, where the wyverns wouldn't attack those with a massive amount of strength, Rag, and Nitro. I saw a Blue Wyven and thought of Nitro…

Long ago Nitro trained as a Hero, every day and night we would fight side by side no matter what we faced, we always came out on top; that was until Nitro left. Aran woke up after several years after he fell to the Black Mage, when he did a call went out to the Maple World from Rein. Lilin started recruiting for people to train under Aran, and become a hero of ice. Nitro left, and I didn't see him until the day I was exiled. I remember looking to him as I left in shame. The look on his face told me he didn't believe that I killed Raillin, while his partner Tal, the blue wolf didn't know what to think.

I opened my eyes and found my self standing before a Dark Wyvern, it hoened it's mouth and it's tongue started to glow, but before I was attacked Rag jumped in front of me and the attack hit him, barely denting his armor. The wyvern stared at Rag with wide eyes then left, fearing death.

Rag was always the 'guy I would never reach'. He quickly ascended fourth job, giving him powers that were thought unimaginable. Rag continued to train with the power he gained, using his transformation on when needed. I could only imagine the strength this evolved Hero gained when I was exiled. I remember his face, kind yet shocked as he watched me get exiled that day. He held both of his swords that day, I don't know if it was out of respect, or to show me how much stronger he became. It was strange; deep in my mind I wondered what Rag thought of me. Even stranger, I couldn't bear to know what I had planned for them in the Cave of Life…

I stood up tall and looked at the entrance to the Cave of Life. The guardian wasn't there, Echo had done it, my plan could no longer be stopped. I entered the Cave of Life and Nitro and Rag followed. I placed my hand on a pile of stacked up bones and started to glow.

"Fox?" Rag called out before touching the pile of bones.

"Rag!" Nitro followed.

Instantly we were teleported into a large cave where we met up with Echo. We stood on a long platform; roped hung from the platform onto the ground, where a large glowing crystal stood.

I took a step forward, as I did I could feel Nitro's touch on my shoulder "Don't do it Fox, you know that Horntail won't spare us…it's best to just leave"

I pulled away from Nitro and stepped forward again. "Come now!" I did it. I summoned Horntail.

A large dragon's head broke through the cave wall before us and stared at us, longing to see our blood.

"How foolish…do you really think you three can take me down?" The large dragon bellowed. How voice shook the cave.

"No…" I responded quietly

Horntail was quiet. If he decided to fight us, this would be our end…this would be _my end._

_I took a step forward. I took a leap of faith, something that I had abandoned a long time ago. "I am Fox. I am the man who once trained to surpass my own strength. I am the man who killed Raillin in cold blood. I am the man who was exiled in shame. I am the man who will get revenge on those who exiled me."_

_The great dragon bellowed and I could feel something, I was getting stronger. I saw myself start to glow purple._

"_In return you must kill your friends. Show me the power that you have now!" The dragon roared and I started to glow louder._

_I turned around to face Rag and Nitro who stood in shock. I could imagine their thoughts. 'What? No…it isn't possible…Fox couldn't have killed Raillin'_

"_No…" The large dragon changed his mind and took a deep breath and released it, forcing Rag and Nitro back into the cave's wall. They fell to their knees and didn't speak, they still couldn't believe what they heard._

_I dashed forward and punched Rag, then Nitro in the chest causing them to black out. I had done it, I was alone once again._

_I fell to my knees and punched the rocky floor with both fists. "Please…spare my friends." Echo took flight._

"_Send them to Ereve, any punishment I must take for my lie I will, just get them out of here" I spoke again._

_Horntail started to glow blue, then Rag and Nitro vanished. There was no way he'd listen to me…something was wrong._

"_Now what are you here for…As a dragon, I can see into your mind and soul, your lies and deceitfulness will NOT work here." The large dragon roared._

_I closed my eyes as I coughed, I opened them and jumped back, seeing a pile of blood on the ground. I was really sick now…_

"_I am Fox, Exiled…I have nowhere to go, and nothing to say. However, I could not let my friends endanger themselves by staying near me…"_

"_Endanger themselves?" The dragon spoke a bit more quietly, still shaking the cave with his voice._

"_Someone is hunting me. They're just putting themselves in danger…this is something I have to do alone…" I took a step forward and stared into Horntail's eyes._

"_No Fox…this is something we have to do together" A voice said from behind me._

_I turned around and fell backward. I couldn't believe it, it wasn't possible…_

"_Hey…Murderer" Raillin said with a smile_


	4. Who I am

Chapter 4: Who I am.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing, nothing was registering in my brain. I couldn't hear anything, I couldn't feel anything; the only thing I could see was the man who called himself Raillin standing before me. Time seemed to stop, Nothing moved except me, and the man. Horntail stood still; Echo didn't move.

"You look like you've seen a ghost" The man laughed, but I didn't laugh back.

Fear, Happiness, Anger, I didn't know what to feel. "Who…are you" I clenched my fists.

The man's hair was silver, his face was pale, and he wore a White Battle Lord, the signature armor of Raillin, once great hero.

The man sighed then with a smile he took off his White Battle Lord overall revealing his bare chest and a baggy pair of white pants.

I fell to my knees and tears welled up in my eyes. The hole in his chest. The Black hole that I would never forget. This man was him. This man was the legendary hero Raillin.

"I-I don't understand" Tears ran down my face and time started to move forward again.

"The moment I died, my spirit came here, to the Cave of Life. I was given the title Dragon not because of my skills, but because of this reason. I can communicate with the Dragons in this world, I can see what they see, I can feel what they feel" Raillin clenched his fists. "From the moment I died, my spirit came here, and I've been keeping track of everything that's been happening. It's my fault that you were exiled."

I started to speak, but if I did I knew I would cry. Echo wiped away my tears as Raillin continued. "If I wasn't foolish, I would have accepted my friends on this quest. I wouldn't have lost; instead _we would have won, we could have taken down the Black Mage…"_

"_Rag…Nitro…" I've been pushing everyone away from me. I didn't want their help. This quest, the quest for redemption. The quest to regain my honor. I have to do it alone. I will do it alone._

"_You need to accept your friends help. You can't do this alone" Raillin touched me on the shoulder._

"_No" I turned away. "This is something I need to do alone. I can't let them endanger themselves just to help me. "When I need their help, I will get it." Echo looked to me for understanding, but I gave him none._

_Raillin turned around and put a hand on Horntail's large head, the dragon purred as though it accepted Raillin as his master._

"_You are a Dark Knight; that much is certain. No matter what the Order of the Fourth says, they can't take away what you have worked for, and they can't take away what you can work for." Raillin's voice trailed off, I knew he had more to say._

"_What?" I turned around to face the long lost man._

"_Through nobility and a sound body and mind, you will shatter the barrier and become something more than a Dark Knight-"_

"_A…Dragon?" I cut Raillin off. It would only make sense, he was given the title Dragon after he ascended Dark Knight._

"_Everyone will have a different 'fifth job'. Your friend Rag wields two two-handed swords, while a friend I grew up with became blind upon ascending the rank of Hero."_

_I laughed "Sounds like he got jipped"_

"_From the moment he became blind, none of his attacks have ever missed their target, none of his opponents have ever lived to tell the tale of his legendary prowess" I stopped smiling._

"_Fox, we should probably go now, Rag and Nitro are probably on their way here now…" Echo finally spoke after a term of staying quiet._

"_Yeah" I turned around and waved one last time to Raillin. This would be the last time I would ever see him again._

"_I wish to help you in your quest."_

_I turned around as fast as I could knocking Echo off balance; from my shoulder he fell to my waist where he glided through the air and flew back to my shoulder._

_Raillin held out his hand and a purple spear of ice started to take form. After a while the spear solidified and Raillin jabbed it into the Cave's floor. "Upon taking this spear, I will always be with you, my mind and soul residing within this spear. You will gain some of my power and some of your hidden potential my be revealed as well."_

_I walked around the mysterious purple glowing Fairfrozen and started to put out my hand._

"_Taking the spear could also bring more harm to you. This Fairfrozen is the only one of it's kind, you will become more of a target." Raillin spoke quickly_

_I scoffed and grabbed the spear, my future didn't look any darker from where I was standing. As I took hold of the spear Raillin started to fade away and the spear started to glow brightly. I pulled the spear from the hard, cold stone floor and Raillin was gone. I held up the spear and Horntail roared, shaking the cave._

"_Thanks…" I turned around and left the cave of life. I stood atop the mountain and looked upon Leafre with a smile._

"_What'cha thinking about?" Echo turned to me_

"_I'm about to take this world by storm. With this power…" I clenched my fists "I'll wreck everything that the Order of the Fourth stands for"_

"_and what would that be" A voice said from nowhere_

_I held up the Fairfrozen and spoke to it "Is…is that you Raillin?"_

"_Yes…I told you that my mind and soul would reside in this spear, now what does the Order stand for" The spear snapped._

"_I don't know, it just sounded cool…" I smiled as I held up the spear and took in the possibilities of the powers I was given._

_I held up a small scroll inscribed with a "T" and started to glow, I closed my eyes and when I opened them I was standing in Leafre. I turned around to leave and saw something I thought I wouldn't see for quite a while…_

"_Fox…What the hell!" Rag charged forward and grabbed me by my neck._

_I pushed Rag's hand away from me and walked past him, only to be stopped by Nitro._

"_You're coming with us, and you're going to tell us what the hell is going on…" Nitro held up his Zedbug and pointed it at me._

_I thought carefully then remembered the words of Raillin. "No matter what…I'll get through this alone" I mumbled_

"_So are you coming with us or not?" Rag stood by Nitro and held out his hand._

_I looked at his hand then slapped it away. "I'm not going anywhere" I took a step forward but Rag pushed me back._

"_Then prepare yourself" Rag pulled a Reverse Nibleheim out of a sheath tied to his waist._

_Rag charged forward and slashed, but I stepped back, barely avoiding the blow. Nitro jumped high into the air and with a glowing red Zedbug he hit the ground, causing an earthquake. I stumbled backward and Rag followed up on Nitro's attack with a palm to my chest. I felt myself fly backward, and as fast as this fight started, it seemed to end._

"_Fox?" Echo flew from the air to my chest as I laid on my back._

"_Fly…" Echo took flight high into the air._

_I stood up slowly and faced the enemies that were once friends. I held out my hand and it started to snow. spears of ice started rain from the sky. A single spear stopped by my side, a purple spear, a Fairfrozen._

_I took a deep breath in, then breathed out slowly. "Inspire me…"_

_I suddenly felt an intense pain. I fell to me knees and dropped my spear, holding my sides in agony. I could feel a deep burning in my body, I started to sprout red wing-like horns and a tail, but every few seconds the newfound limbs would recede into my body._

"_F-Fox?" Nitro dashed forward and held out a hand, but again I knocked it away._

_I screamed in pain once again, a pair of wings started to sprout from my back, tearing through my skin, but they receded again. My nails started to grow, then break off and grow again, and my wrists started to grow white fur. My hair grew long and white and fell in front of my face, then it turned black, and changed into it's original afro form._

_I grabbed the spear and raised it to the sky "Raillin…Save…me" I pleaded, then I blacked out._

_I awoke in a pitch black room, the only thing I could see was a demonic pair of glowing red eyes. I felt it pin be against an invisible wall…I don't know what happened, or what I felt…I just knew that this could be my end…_


	5. Traitor

Chapter 5: Intentions

"Ugh…I don't believe I left my Craven…" A Night Lord said as he clenched a Balanced Fury throwing star in his hand.

"Forget about it Tao…we have other things to focus on" A Hero said with a smile. "My sword was broken on the skin of a Champion. I have a reason to fight now, I know I can get stronger now, and it'll all start with this" The Hero finished as he held up a glimmering Rock of Time; unaware that he was getting moving deeper in the unexplored parts of Ellinia.

"Uhh…Ray?" Tao spun around. "I think we're lost"

Ray slid the Rock of Time back into his pocket and turned around, It was dark, no sun in the sky. Ray and Tao were surrounded with tall dark trees, an eerie glow lit the dark forest.

"Good thing we're here together right?" Tao said with a smile.

"Tao…" Ray called quietly. "Tao…" Ray called once more. "Tao!"

"What?" Tao yelled as he turned to Ray, who pointed behind him to a pair of large glowing red eyes peering at them through the trees.

"Where is Fox" The pair of vicious red eyes called out.

"W-We don't know, and if you're looking for the bounty then we won't tell you anything!" Ray taunted the hidden specter.

In a flash of darkness the specter dashed from darkness and charged Ray, pinning him to a tree.

"W-What?" Tao watched as the beast pinned Ray to a tree with a single paw.

"E-Eliza…" Ray squirmed under her paw.

"It's good to know that you know who I am" The large black-furred beast said as she lifted her large paw off of Ray then knocked him to the ground with a single swipe.

Ray was stunned. What was Eliza, Goddess' Pet doing looking for Fox?

Eliza nonchalantly walked over to Ray and placed her paw on his chest, once again pinning him to the ground. "Now you're going to tell me where Fox is, and I'll be on my way." Eliza pressed harder on Ray's delicately designed black armor and forced him into the ground.

"W-Why are you l-looking for Fox, aren't you supposed to be l-looking after Orbis?" Tao's teeth chattered as he examined Eliza. Black fur with white mane-like fur around her neck. Large claws and burning fur around her feet with a long slim black tail with a red triangle tip.

"I had a dream…that's all…" Eliza pressed down harder on Ray. "Now talk to me"

Ray calmed himself down and finally spoke. "We fought Fox in Ereve a while back, we haven't seen the guy since. If you're looking for him then you better find him fast; there's a bounty out on him…" Ray's voice trailed off.

Eliza looked at Ray disapprovingly, then became engulfed in flames and vanished.

"That was close" Ray dusted himself off and stood up slowly, still shaking from his recent encounter.

Tao fake laughed "Yeah, but I'm sure we could have taken her"

Another pair of glowing eyes appeared in the darkness between faraway trees. Ray and Tao prepared for a fight, but a Black Wyvern ambled from the darkness to their sight, followed by a Red Wyvern, then a Blue Wyvern.

"Uh…something tells me we're in trouble" Ray took a step back.

"You're damn right you are" The womanly voice came from behind Ray, causing him to jump back.

"You were told to bring back Fox, it was an order." The woman spoke harshly.

"W-What?" Ray took a step away from the woman.

The woman charged forward with great speed and slapped Tao, then Ray, knocking them to the ground. "What do you think the Rocks of Time were for?"

"Y-You're the one who set the bounty on Fox? Wait…" Ray counted his fingers and thought a while.

"You're Lyla…Master of Dark Knight in the Council of the Fourth…why is there a bounty on Fox…tell me what he's done…" Tao stood up and pointed a finger at the woman, causing an unfavorable roar from the Wyvern.

Lyla took her spear, the Timeless Alchupez off her back and slashed at Tao, cutting his cheek. "Fox killed Raillin" Lyla roared

The spear was grey and silver, the head of the spear was black triangle surrounded with silver except the tip which was soaked in Tao's blood.

Lyla pushed Tao to the ground then punched him in the face as hard as she could. "Raillin" she whispered.

"He wouldn't have wanted you to do this…" Ray sat up, but with a single punch Lyla knocked him back down.

"Shut up! You don't know anything!" The three wyvern watched as the black cloaked Lyla took her anger out on Ray and Tao.

"For your failure to bring down Fox, you're going to pay the ultimate price…" Lyla threw one more punch, then picked up the unconscious men one hand for each.

Meanwhile…

"Damn it!" Rag hit the ground with his Nibleheim as hard as he could causing a large crater in the ground.

"We'll run into him again…that much is certain" Nitro looked to Rag.

Rag sighed then sheathed his sword. "That spear…did it look…familiar?"

Nitro looked at the sun, bright in the sky. "You know what it looked like…it was Raillin's spear…"

"No, Fox didn't kill Raillin. He's been acting weird, but I know he didn't" Rag started to glow, the wind and a glowing yellow aura circled him.

"I don't believe it either, the only way to find out is to find Fox" Nitro put a hand on Rag's shoulder.

"Yeah, find him and kick his ass!" Rag exclaimed as he raised a fist.

Rag laughed then became serious once more. "He was transforming…"

"Yeah? And?" Nitro turned away

Rag thought for a while then shrugged "Yeah, I guess you're right. At any rate, the first place to go would be back to Horntail. Fox must've gotten rid of us for a reason. We're going to find out what he said…by force"

Nitro nodded then started his trek, back to the Cave of Life.

Thoughts flew through their minds as they traveled back up the mountain to the Cave of Life 'Did Fox really kill Raillin?' 'What was he transforming into' 'Why did he attack us…' Those thoughts made the trip seem short and almost insignificant. Rag and Nitro finally reached the Cave of Life, completely unguarded…just like last time.

Rag and Nitro waltzed into the Cave of Life prepared for anything that could possibly happen. They looked around, then proceeded to the cave that Horntail normally resided. Rag unsheathed a Reverse Nibleheim and Nitro put a hand behind his back and brought out his Zedbug.

"Come out now!" Nitro commanded as he took a step forward.

The cave started to shake, pieces of crystal started to fall from the ceiling, with a roar Horntail forced a large head through a hole in the cave's wall.

"Leave this place now. There is no one to protect you, you will die here." Horntail growled

"You're going to tell us what happened here, and you're going to tell us now." Rag frowned as he brandished his sword.

Horntail took a deep breath then spat a stream of ice at Rag and Nitro, but Nitro took a step forward and with a single slash of his glowing Zedbug he dispelled the icy mist.

Horntail bellowed then took another deep breath, this time breathing out sharp spears of crystal. Rag took a step forward and started to glow, in a flash of light Rag spun around and unsheathed his second Reverse Nibleheim, the sheer act of Rag revealing his second sword shattered the spears of crystal like ice. Rag held one Reverse Nibleheim in each hand and looked at Horntail with seriousness unheard of. Horntail looked at Rag and his new strength; the look in the duo's eyes meant they could never lose.

"I understand…" Horntail said, the cave didn't shake this time.

"Tell us everything…" Rag took a few steps forward, staring into Horntails onyx eyes.

"Yes…" Horntail nodded. This was one fight he couldn't win.


	6. Regret

Chapter 6: Regret

I lazily stood up, I held a hand up against the sky, silver lines of light passed between my fingers and landed on my face.

"Fox?" Echo yelled my name.

I continued to look at the back of my hand. "Save me" I whispered

"Fox, you were out for a few days…you started to transform…" I could hear Echo talk, but nothing he said registered in my brain.

"Trans…form…" I repeated the word. I fell to my knees and held my chest. I could feel the pain, I could see what happened in my last fight.

I stood up and shrugged off the pain. There was too much to do, too much to think about…too much to regret.

I looked around and started to smile, remembering my past in this place. "You teleported to Ereve. You became engulfed in flames and appeared here, I manage to fly into the flames just in time to be teleported with you." Echo said

I walked between a few trees and through a few bushes and stood in Central Ereve. Everything was peaceful, Cygnus laying on Shinsoo, Hawkeye and Mihile doing paperwork, Eckhart, Oz, and Irena sparring while Neinheart watched. Neinheart looked over to me, "Fox?"

Their attention was at me; everyone watched as I stood before them. No regrets for my past actions, but they didn't know; they couldn't possibly understand. I regret everything.

"Rein…" As I said the name of the snowy island I started to feel a growing energy inside me, like I was burning from the inside.

Oz charged forward at me, but I held out a hand stopping her. "Devour me…" I whispered. Flames started to rise from the ground and surround me. When the flames cleared away I was in Rein.

"H-How did you do that!" Echo yelled in my ear.

I put a finger in my ear and moved it around "I don't know, but I wouldn't mind doing it again…" I started to smile, then I became serious. Now wasn't the time to smile, it was a time to regret, all of what I could have done, all of what I will do…

I looked to my sides and closed my eyes. "Lilin."

"What?"

Ignoring Echo's question I left to the town of Rein. I had my target, I had my plan. I entered Rein seconds after deciding to go there. I looked around and found her, the blue haired girl; Lilin.

"Fox? It's been a while!" She smiled, but I didn't.

I held out my hand and my weapon, the purple Fairfrozen fell from the sky and landed in my hand. I pointed it at the girl. "You're coming with me." Emotionless, expressionless, just as I planned.

Lilin started to laugh and took a step forward, but I gripped the spear harder and started to glow, she knew it wasn't a joke now.

Lilin jumped back and held a hand to her side. "Tal! Bring me my Glaive!"

In an instant a large blue wolf charged from the distance to Lilin's side with a red pole arm, Crimson Arcglaive in her mouth. Lilin took the pole arm and pointed it at me.

"F-Fox?" Tal, the blue wolf said.

Lilin jumped high into the air and started an attack with her pole arm. Echo flew high into the air away from the fight at hand, but it was over before it started. I grabbed the pole arm by the blade with a single hand, gloveless. I yanked it away from her and tossed it aside. Echo landed back onto my shoulder as I pointed my spear at the duo.

"You really are a traitor…you really did kill Raillin" Lilin fell to her knees and looked down.

I dropped the spear and clenched my fists, I could feel something on my hand, then Crimson Arcglaive cut my hand when I caught it. "Shut up and come with me, both of you" I held up my spear and it faded away.

I turned around to the path to Victoria Island, but I didn't expect what I would find behind me.

"Lilin!" Nitro charged forward with his pole arm ready for attack, Rag trailing him.

"Fox!" Nitro screamed my name as he jumped high into the air with his Zedbug ready for attack.

"Devour me!" I jumped back beside Lilin and Tal, forcing the four of us, Lilin, Tal, Echo, and myself to be engulfed in flames. The flames rose high, then faded away, leaving us in the middle of Leafre.

I fell to my knees and started to transform again. Two red wing-like horns started to appear on top of my head while a long slender black tail with a triangle red tip started to grow. My nails started to grow into sharp snow while claws and my hair started to change from pitch black to white and spiky. Wings started to grow from my back while white tufts of fur started to grow on my wrists. I grabbed my chest and screamed in pain as these changes took place, then vanished in a small whirlwind of fire. I rolled over, remembered the pain, then stood up, trying to convince myself that everything would be alright.

"Fox…what is going on?" Tal asked as she took a step forward.

I looked at Tal, trying to look emotionless, but the pain was too much, I was sweating.

"Nothing, now come with me" I remembered Tal from a long time ago. When Nitro became an Aran, he was assigned a wolf partner; Tal was a good choice for him, to my knowledge she never let him down. Unfortunately I've never seen them in action, and I never spent any time alone with Tal, I just remembered the day that I was exiled, her deep blue wolf eyes, longing to know who I was, what I had done.

I could hear the sound of footsteps. I turned around to find Lilin had taken advantage of my pain and she was running away from me. I threw my spear at her and it whizzed past her head. Lilin stopped in her tracks and turned around. She was mad, the spear had cut one of her cheeks and she started to bleed.

"Now come with me." I turned away and snapped a finger, Echo left my shoulder to retrieve the spear.

"Fox…why are you doing this" Lilin caught up with me and put a hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah Fox, I don't understand" Echo dropped my spear in my hand and looked to me for an answer.

"Don't question me" I didn't turn around.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, it turned me around and with the strength of an Aran Lilin slapped me. I fell backward and landed in Leafre's lush grass. I stood up, brushed off the attack and turned back around.

"Fox, I don't understand anymore. You used to be a great warrior, but now…you're a traitor." Lilin started to cry.

"No" I stopped in my tracks. "I will need Nitro's and Rag's help eventually; not now, but maybe later...they can assist me. You two are the closest living things to Nitro. He's going to see me threaten one of you and he'll transform. Out of sheer rage and willpower, he will gain the massive amount of strength called the 'fifth job'" I had it all planned out

"But…he'll attack you, can you really stand up to that kind of strength?" Tal said, then looked behind me shocked.

I turned to Tal "There's only one way to find out" I turned back around. Nitro and Rag stood in front of me, both prepared for a fight.

As I expected…


	7. Promise

Chapter 7: Promise

I watched Nitro clench his fists and teeth. "Lilin!" he screamed to the heavens

"Yell like that again and she won't live long enough to hit the ground" I put my Fairfrozen to her neck.

Rag took a step forward and put a hand on Nitro's shoulder. "We're not here to fight, we know the truth"

"No!" Nitro interrupted Rag with a fiery passion "You're a traitor, and you'll die here and now like a traitor" Nitro put his hand behind his back and unstrapped his Zedbug, causing it to fall behind him. Nitro slowly turned around to pick it up, and with a blue glow he faced me.

I took a step forward and waited for Nitro's attack with a smirk, everything was going as planned. Nitro jumped high into the air and swung his Zedbug at me. Like Lilin, I caught the blade of the enormous pole arm, I held it and looked Nitro in the eyes.

"How weak, your girl is in mortal danger, and you can barely cut my hand." I reached backward and grabbed Lilin by her neck.

Nitro fell to his knees with my pole arm still in my hand, a tear started to fell from his eyes. Nitro stood up and as hard as he could, he threw a punch at my chest.

"Was that it?" I squeezed Lilin's neck harder and she started to choke.

Rag vanished from my sight then appeared in front of me "Fatal Blow" Rag whispered as he put his Reverse Nibleheim through my body. I fell backward and looked up, Rag held the point of his sword at my nose.

"That was Fatal Blow, an attack of a warrior who ascends the fourth advancement. When you get hit once, it acts as a permanent poison, if you are hit by Fatal Blow a second time, you will die" Rag took another step and I smiled.

"Will you be the one" I stood up "To kill me?" I charged forward and slashed my spear.

Rag jumped high into the air and evaded the attack, as he fell he swung his sword, but Nitro jumped in the way and blocked the attack.

"Stay out of my way, this is my fight" Nitro pushed Rag away then turned toward me. Rag closed his eyes then stepped back to watch the fight.

I dashed forward and grabbed Nitro by his hair, I held my leg behind him as I pulled him backward, he fell backward and laid on the ground as I got ready for my next attack. I kicked Nitro far into a tree, he started to stand, but I stabbed my spear into the ground and one-by-one I threw a punch at his chest; he coughed louder with each punch.

"Is this it?" I yelled as I continued to throw punches. I grabbed Nitro by his neck and kneed him in the stomach, as he fell I spun around with a leg in the air and kicked him to the side, sending him flying far to the left.

I looked at my hands, my nails started to become sharp claws, I could feel the changes taking place, changing my body one by one. I took a deep breath and the claws reverted back to regular nails. Nitro charged forward and swung his Zedbug, but I ducked and uppercut him as hard as I could, causing him to drop his Zedbug and fly into the air. As Nitro fell I closed my eyes and remembered the powers I had acquired.

"Raillin…Save me" I fell to my knees and grabbed my chest, I was starting to transform again, but this time it was different. Two large black horns of ice sprouted from my forehead, two large blue dragons wings sprouted from my back, I grew a long blue dragon tail; the changes seemed to be done, the pain had stopped.

Nitro stood up, bleeding, defeated, ready to fight. He took a step forward, but as fast as I could, I stabbed him through the chest with my long blue tail. Nitro fell once more, he didn't care about getting up this time.

"Fine, if you're done, then Lilin will fight in your place" I contemplated my next move as I closed in on Lilin. Crossing Rag would be my end, trying to teleport behind her could force me to start change again; between the two I'd have to go with fighting Rag, he was strong, but there was always the chance he wouldn't finish me off quickly.

I walked toward Lilin and Tal, their faces told me they had forgotten my plan, that I would kill them. Lilin took a step back and Tal took a step forward, desperate to defend her friend. In a flash Tal jumped toward me, but I sidestepped the attack and grabbed the wolf by her tail. I squeezed Tal's tail as hard as I could and pulled her behind me as I continued to approach Lilin.

"Stop" Rag took a step in front of Lilin and blocked my path.

I smirked as I threw Tal at Lilin by her tail "Catch…" Lilin fell backward and Tal fell on top of her.

Rag sheathed his Reverse Nibleheim and from his back he drew a Dragon Flame, a large black two-handed mallet with a gold dragon engraved on it. "I don't need to fight you, we know what's happening. Stop your attack and this will be over."

"Stand aside" I charged forward, my large blue wings leaving light powdered snow floating in the air.

Rag swung his mace and I ducked it and tried to uppercut him, but he stepped backward, then leaned forward for another attack. Rag jumped high into the air and swung his hammer at my head, I dodged it by stepping backward, but as soon as I stepped Rag landed in front of me and he uppercut me sending me backward. I wiped some blood off my mouth and stepped back into the fight. I threw a series of punches at Rag as I sidestepped behind him. Rag once again swung his mace, but this time he hit the ground, causing it to shatter in my direction, I jumped out of the way and looked behind me, whatever was in that attack…My eyes widened as the shattered ground hit a mountain in the distance and caused it to crumble.

I clenched my fists and charged forward once more. Rag appeared before me and spun around with his leg out, kicking my spear out of my grasp. Rag swung his large mace at me. I put up both my arms in an 'X' to shield myself and I covered by arms with my wings. Rag hit me and I could tell what was coming next. "CRACK!" one of my arms broke and both of my wings had a hole in them, leaving them tattered. I flew far, parallel to the ground until I landed. I slid on my back several feet, tearing my wings more with each inch.

I slowly stood up, shaking, bleeding, battle-scarred. My mission wasn't done. I dashed forward, one arm limp, the other hungry for battle. I flipped over Rag and charged him head-first, desperate to impale him with my horns. Rag grabbed me by a horn and forced me to my knees, breaking one of the horns in the process. I cried in pain then stood up, a tear in one eye, pure hatred in the other, I threw a punch at Rag, I could feel my knuckles crack; I broke my knuckles on his bare skin. Rag started a slash with his Mace, but I jumped back beside Lilin.

"This is it" I declared as I raised my hand to the sky and my spear shattered then reappeared in my hand.

"What?" Rag dropped his guard and stood up tall, mace in hand.

"I knew I'd never be able to go for Lilin with you here, so I had to fight around you, that slash right there put me in the perfect position, I'd jump back and you wouldn't be able to chase me." I explained as I pointed the spear at Lilin, who still had an unconscious Tal on top of her.

I jabbed the spear down at Lilin, between her arm and her side, barely cutting her arm and causing her to bleed. I closed my eyes, everything had played out just as I had hoped, the only thing left to do was to show Nitro the blood on the tip of my spear, showing that I had 'killed' Lilin.

I passed by Rag, he was stunned, confused. I barely cut her arm, he didn't know what to do. I made my way to Nitro, limp armed and prideful. I threw my spear in front of his face and he looked at it.

Nitro's body shook as he looked at the blood on my spear and then Lilin's body, she didn't move, she didn't speak.

Nitro started to glow and the ground started to break apart under his body. Nitro stood up slowly as he did his wounds started to heal and his armor started to change. Nitro howled at the sky and it started to slow.

"This is it for you!" Nitro roared as he clenched his fists causing a new pole arm to appear.

"Oh yeah?" I smiled as I examined Nitro's armor. His Zakum Helmet was gone and a black helmet that resembled a wolf head took its place. His heavily designed Blue Neos and Blue Neos pants became encased in ice, forcing spiked onto the shoulders and arms of the Blue Neos. His hands became encased in ice and claws took their places on his knuckles. Nitro's pole arm was a black and white Zedbug, looking at the blade cut my skin.

Nitro jumped forward and swung his sword, I jumped back, but one of my legs became encased in ice. I charged forward and tried to kick him with my iced leg, but he dodged it and swung his Zedbug again cutting my limp arm and encasing my other leg in ice.

"Live like a traitor, die like a traitor" Nitro raised his pole arm and dropped it on my body, he cut my chest and the ice on my legs shattered, cutting me even worse. I fell backward with a smile, I could feel my life slipping through my fingers, but I knew this wasn't over…

Nitro stepped over my body and walked toward Rag and Lilin. "The cut is deep" Rag stated "He might not make it" he sheathed his mace.

"I didn't mean to kill him, but if he does die, then he deserved it." Nitro closed his eyes and it stopped snowing.

I felt the life come back into my body. "If I die, you won't be the one to kill me" I said quietly.

Rag and Nitro turned to me as I continued. "I will die a man proven innocent, or I will die man killed in cold blood, you will NEVER be my end" I could feel something growing inside me

The ground started to shake and break apart under me, I stood up and instantly fell to my knees, I could feel the transformation taking place, and even worse I could feel a strange presence, something forcing me to transform.

I yelled in pain as I started to transform again, my broken horn stayed on my forehead, but the other horn fell off and a red wing-like horn grew in its place. One of my wings receded into my back and a snow white feathered wing took it's place. My nails became long and sharp and I grew a second tail, this one was slim and black with a red triangle tip and my afro became long, straight, and white. Unlike the other times my transformation was finally complete.

I shook my head and my hair fell in front of my face. I smiled once again and stood up, one arm limp and battle scarred. I charged forward then stopped in my tracks, something…someone was behind me, it's mere presence shook my soul.

I spun around unable to speak.

After a moment of silence I opened my mouth "Eliza…"


	8. Moment's Reprieve

Chapter 8: Moment's Reprieve

I fell to my knees and put a hand on my head, someone, something was shaking me.

"Fox? Fox?" I heard Raillin yell my name followed by Echo who flew from the sky to the ground before me.

"Ugh, I…I don't understand" I stood up with a hand on the side of my hand, the ground to started to break around me and small pieces of earth started to circle my feet.

I fell to my knees and touched the ground with my forehead, my head hurt, my chest hurt, my arms hurt, all I could hear hundreds of voices in my mind.

"Well?" Eliza sat on her hind legs and watched my agony.

"Fox?" Lilin whispered as she started to stand.

Nitro spun around as fast as he could, he couldn't believe his eyes "W-What?" Nitro then turned to me.

I could feel something in my chest, burning, tearing away at my insides, I had to get rid of it fast; I sank my claws into the ground, leaving deep claw marks. I finally stood up, and with the ferocity that I had fighting Nitro, I roared, shaking the trees, ground, and the very sky itself.

I stood with my fists and teeth clenched, I couldn't feel the pain anymore, all I could feel was pure power flowing through my veins. I looked at my broken arm and flexed it, clenching the fist with the broken knuckle.

"I don't understand, I thought you killed Lilin" Nitro took a step forward, but I held out my hand.

"This was all a plan to get you to transform and unlock the potential known as 'fifth job'. It was kinda funny how easily you fell for it, but it wasn't fun fighting Rag, I have a broken arm, a broken knuckle, and I was called a traitor by one of my best friends. How's that for gratitude" I took a look at my appearance, the feathered wing was cool, but the tattered wing killed the illusion of 'godliness'

Nitro turned away. I was almost eager to hear what he had to say, as long as it wasn't an apology. I looked down at Echo, the small dragon shook, he was stunned. Was it at my appearance? My strength? I wondered as I picked up the small blue dragon and set him on my head, he grabbed onto my broken horn and used it for balance. I took a deep breath and turned around to Eliza.

"What are you doing here" I tried to make myself seem tough, but I was tired and inevitably fell to one knee.

"I had a dream of a boy who needed my help, a boy caught between the transformations caused by me and a man killed in cold blood; a scared innocent boy called a vicious traitor." She spoke softly

"Now fall" Eliza vanished and appeared before me with a paw high in the air, in a single motion I was hit and slid far backward, causing Echo to fly backward with me.

"Stop!" Rag and Nitro jumped in the way of Eliza who started to approach me ominously, I couldn't let them help me.

"Get out of my way" I stood up and took a few steps forward.

"Fox?" Nitro called, but I wouldn't hear it.

"I said get out of my way…" Rag and Nitro reluctantly stood aside and watched the face off.

"You're going to need their help for this…" Eliza continued to approach me.

"I don't need anyone" I charged forward and threw a punch, my claws ready to taste Eliza's blood.

Eliza vanished once again and appeared behind me, I turned around, but it was too late. With a single swipe I was down. I struggled to get up, but with all of my strength I finally did it. I stood up and held my broken arm, this fight was over. Eliza pushed me over and placed a paw on my chest holding me down. She slowly lowered her head and touched her nose to mine and looked into my eyes. I could feel all of those horrible memories resurfacing, I could feel the pain coming back.

Eliza finally sat back on her hind legs and I stood up, she was about as tall as I was.

"I will help you control your new found power. However, you must rid yourself of all other entities" Eliza raised a paw to the spear strapped to my back.

"What does she mean Fox?" Rag took a step forward.

I took the purple Fairfrozen off my back and gripped it tight in my hand, causing it to shatter like glass, the pieces of the spear hovered in the air and as the sunlight passed through the pieces something started to take form. After a while a see-through Raillin appeared wearing is signature White Battle Lord overall and white cape.

"Fox…" Raillin turned to me.

"What the hell? I don't understand" Nitro shook his head and stood beside me followed by Rag, Tal, and Lilin.

"Back in the Cave of Life I met Raillin and he gave me his signature spear; since then I've been given extraordinary powers and the ability to talk to him, he's been a bit quiet ever since I've started to transform." I looked to Raillin for understanding.

"I'm not sure…it appears that Eliza's spirit within you has been blocking me; the best we can do is hope that you'll be able to hear me again. Take care of Fox, he's an innocent man, and it would be my fault if he died a criminal. Till then." Raillin took a deep breath then the broken Fairfrozen returned to its original form.

"Heh" I smiled as I picked up the spear and handed it to Rag. "Don't let this out of your sight, I'll come back for it…eventually" I moved to Eliza's side.

"I'm coming" Echo flew from the air to the top of my head.

"No…you're not. You're a dragon, you could influence Fox's transformation.

"Stay with Rag Echo, I'll be back for you." I patted Echo on the head and handed him over to Rag then I looked to Eliza. "What about a wolf?"

Nitro raised his eyebrow. "I suppose you can take a wolf with you" Eliza said

I walked over to the unconscious Tal and picked her up, holding the giant blue wolf on a single shoulder. I started to walk over to Eliza but Nitro stood in my way.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Nitro stopped me with a single hand.

"Get out of my way, I'm taking this." I pushed Nitro aside and took my place beside Eliza. I saluted to Nitro and Rag, then turned to Eliza.

"Teleport us." Eliza commanded.

I held up my broken arm and focused as best I could. "Devour me!" The ground started to break under me and Eliza, a pillar of fire rose from the ground and engulfed us. When the fire cleared away we were in Orbis, a place I remembered from a long time ago.

I looked around, we were on a platform high in the air, below us was all of Orbis. I put down Tal and explored the large platform. A large harp stood in the middle, and beside it stood a large statue of the Goddess.

"Before anything else, I must teach you this" Eliza walked to me and sat before me. I smiled, I'll never get over how short I am compared to Rag and Eliza…at least I'm a little taller than Nitro.

"Yes?" I took a step back from her, I was shaking; was her mere presence affecting me?

"Close your eyes, take a deep breath and remember who you are, where you've been, and what you've done. This skill is called Moment's Reprieve, and no matter what condition you're in, it will allow you to fight as though you haven't been hurt. Remember that you are hurt, so going all out when your body is torn up will only hurt you more…" Eliza placed a paw on my chest and I started to glow, my transformation faded away, Horns, wings, claws, tail, and all.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath as commanded. I remembered my adventurer, where it started, where it ended. I suddenly opened my eyes. "I can't do it, some of the memories, are too painful to remember"

"You'll need to learn eventually, I won't give you any mercy, whether you have a broken arm or not." Eliza stood up and started to growl

"Eventually…" I prepared myself for the inevitable fight.

This would be my first day of training.


	9. The Will To Survive

Chapter 9: The Will to Survive.

I slid against the stone platform in the sky against the darkness of the night lit up by a full moon. A bored Tal watched as time after time I stood up only to be knocked back down.

"Is this it? You're the person who was gifted with my power?" Eliza approached me once again.

I stood up, claw marks covered my face, back, and arms. "I…I don't understand, there's no way you can be this strong"

"All guardians have their strength severely limited. Under certain circumstances our power is returned to us. Maybe you complete my strength" Eliza approached me once again.

I charged forward and started to throw a punch, but it was quickly intercepted. Eliza vanished and appeared behind me, once more knocking me down with a fast and strong strike.

"That looks like it must've hurt" Tal yawned as she laid on her side.

I looked to my left and my right, I had to find some way to end this. I thought for a while; the platform had no places to hide, I had to go for a full out attack. I closed my eyes and started to focus, the transformation would be my ace in the hole.

"This should be entertaining" Eliza sat before me and watched the spectacle.

The ground started to break apart under me and the debris started to circle my feet, my hair started to stand on end, and I could feel the wings starting to sprout from my back. I sighed as I accepted these transformations as part of myself.

"Too slow!" Eliza appeared before me and with a single paw she struck my chest, leaving three long bloody claw marks. My shirt tore off and I slid backward across the platform. I slid to the edge and expected to be stopped by an invisible wall or something; what a stupid assumption.

I yelled as loud as I could as I grabbed onto the ledge with my hand with the broken knuckle. I looked below me as I dangled above Orbis, the floating city. My shirt finally gave in and fell to the city miles below, revealing the scratches all over my body. Blood from my scratches trickled down my back and ran through my thick sweat pants onto my shoes and dripped onto Orbis. I started to raise my broken arm, but I screamed once again and let it fall to my sides. My vision started to darken, as though shrouded with fear. My nose was ridden with the smell of my own blood, and I could only taste the bitterness of fear. I might die, but if I do it won't be here; I tried to calm myself down.

"Fox!" Tal called, I heard the scratching of claws on solid stone.

"Thud!" Eliza had hit Tal, I was sure of it. "If he can't get up here, then he doesn't deserve to live. Leave him to recover or die."

I closed my eyes and clenched the ledge, cutting my hand on the jagged ledge. I grinded my teeth and tried to pull myself up, screaming once again as I fell back to where I started, one hand on the platform, looking into the full moon; face and mind ridden with fear. My throat was sore, I didn't know how many more times I could scream like that before I'd go mute.

"Look at him, he's not scared of us" I could hear the words, they were almost as terrifying as the first time I heard them…back on the boat to Orbis.

I remembered when I started my quest, to be the greatest warrior ever. I took the boat from Ellinia to Orbis and ignored the warnings of other inexperienced adventurers, to hide in the hold of the ship, otherwise winged demons called Crimson Balrog would kidnap you, no telling what would happen to you afterward.

I eagerly awaited the presence of these 'demons' as I watched all others on the boat enter the ships hold. A few minutes passed and I was alone. I yawned, I knew these Crimson Balrog didn't exist. I started to enter the hold, then I stopped; something was wrong. Two large creatures fell from above, one landed before me and the other behind me.

"Hey kid, didn't you know it wasn't safe to be out here?" One of the beasts laughed

I was stunned. They were real.

"What? You're not gonna bow to show your respect? I guess we'll have to teach ya a lesson then" The other beast opened his mouth and a large black ball started to take form. I was too scared to fight, too scared to run.

A cloaked man left the hold and stood between me and the Balrog. He had his face and hair covered. The only thing I could see on him was a purple spear crafted with ice…a Fairfrozen. "Stop"

The balrog spat the ball of black energy at the man, but with a single hand he caught it, his hood fell off from the blast.

"R-Raillin! W-We'll leave right away, consider yourself lucky kid…" The beasts left me and this 'Raillin' alone. I fell backward, unable to believe what I just witnessed, but Raillin picked me back up and dusted off my thick sweat pants and blue striped shirt.

"That was close huh? Where are you heading?" The man laughed and smiled heartily.

"I-uh…I don't know, but I'm gonna be the strongest warrior ever!"

"Hah, good luck friend, you'll need it…and this" Raillin handed me a wooden spear and gave me a pat on the shoulder "When you're as strong as I am…we can have a face-off"

I opened my eyes, my fear was gone, but my problem was the same. Just with that short memory, I could feel myself gaining strength. My back was red with blood, I could tell; It didn't matter. I took a deep breath, my throat was still sore, my hand was still scarred, but hanging on for dear life. I shivered from the cold air touching my blood-soaked back.

"Fox! Look at what you've done!" I could hear Neinheart's voice.

Ereve was a floating city, much like Orbis, but it was inhabited by strange bird people called Piyo, and more importantly by the Empress, Shinsoo, her divine bird protector, her servants and personal friends, the Knights of Cygnus and Neinheart, the tactician.

I'd lay on my back for hours on Shinsoo's large feathered back and look into the skies. Nothing seemed to go wrong. Nitro and Rag didn't understand why I liked to spend my time there, I told them I had business, but I honestly didn't even know. Now that I think back, the place was peaceful; when I was there all of my thoughts were in order and I had no reason to fight. When I was at Ereve my mind and body was at rest.

As I dangled above my simple death, I closed my eyes and remembered a day I could never forget, the day I was given the title 'Catastrophe of Ereve'.

I laid on the back of Shinsoo and raised my hand, stopping the sun from entering one eye, but allowing it to pass through my fingers to touch my other eye. I sighed and remembered everything good about my life, I was strong and determined and I had good friends. "I wouldn't give up my life for anything in the world" I sung to the skies.

"That's good to know…" The great beast Shinsoo purred back as he ruffled his feathers covering me in fluffy down.

With his long, shiny, blue hair flowing in the breeze Neinheart approached Shinsoo but didn't speak. I jumped off of Shinsoo's back and greeted Neinheart with the usual smile and yawn.

"Fox, you destroyed Ereve. You destroyed century old pillars, tore down statues of the finest knights we've ever seen. You've tarnished Ereve's reputation with your senseless destruction…" Neinheart yelled as he walked toward me one step at a time.

I shook and backed up into Shinsoo, there was no place to run. Was I actually scared of this man?

"You've also saved Ereve, so I want to present you with this," Neinheart tossed a flashing object at me and I caught it. It was a medal showing a broken statue of an angel. Fox, you are the Catastrophe of Ereve, not only does trouble follow you, but good will and cheer follows the trouble.

I quickly opened my eyes and started to regain my strength, I lifted my broken arm and started to pull myself up, above the platform I saw a sleeping Eliza and injured Tal, the mere sight of them gave me more strength, but not enough. My broken arm gave in and once again I was dangling by a single arm; I hung onto my meaningless life. I took a deep breath and a tear fell from one of my eyes. What if I couldn't make it up? What if I died guilty for a crime I didn't commit? Discouraging thoughts flowed through my mind and I closed my eyes.

"What are you doing?" I heard Echo's voice.

"Fox, need some help?" I heard Rag's voice.

"Hah, look at Fox" I heard Nitro's voice.

"Are you serious?" I heard my own voice.

I could feel my strength coming back once again, I could feel my wounds re-opening, I could feel my friends and past memories giving me strength. In a single motion I raised my broken arm and grabbed the ledge, with a blue glow I pulled myself up and stood tall at the edge of the ledge. I closed my eyes and fell forward expecting to hit the stone floor, but instead my head and body fell on something sweet smelling and lush. I raised my hand and felt around.

"Eliza…" I purred her name as I placed my hand on her black fur and felt around.

"You've done enough…" Eliza moved me from the edge of the ledge to Tal, where I wanted to be. I felt around on Tal's fur to make sure she was okay and laid on my back. Eliza curled up and I placed my head on her body and rested it on the soft, smooth, and warm fur that could only belong to her.

I closed my eyes once more and remembered the last guild I was in before I was exiled. Snowflake. In Orbis, at the guild creation headquarters sat four fighters at a long table. Rag, Nitro, a Corsair named Drew, and myself. We sat and eyeballed each other, I would look at my watch, then to Drew, Nitro would hold up his hand and I'd throw him my watch, and all this time Rag kept an eye on the three of us. I expected one of us to throw a fit from the boredom. I stood up and slammed my hands onto the table open-palmed. I opened my mouth, but before I had the chance to yell there was an explosion outside and a man jumped through the buildings window; glass shattered and a man laid in the middle of the pile.

"Okay Marco, you win you win" The man stood off and picked pieces of glass off of his Black Garina, a black pair of shirt and pants connected with a silver cord, red striped fell from the shoulder to the chest of the overall, and a thin layer of cloth connected one arm to the other on the back of the outfit.

"Damn right!" A man forced open the door and stepped in with a bow twice his size in his hands. A black haired woman followed him and stood by the man in black.

"Ray, what is your problem" Nitro stood up and pointed at the man in black.

Ray raised his hands in submission and sat at the table, followed by Marco, the Bowmaster, and Amy, a Star-throwing Night Lord like Ray. He started to talk and I zoned out, thinking of the great adventurers we would have together as a guild. I watched Nitro and Rag stand up and get ready to fight, but then they sat down and turned away from each other.

"Then we all agree" Ray stood up and handed out emblems.

Snowflake. Our guild…was called Snowflake? I sighed and put my hand in the middle of the table, Snowflake wasn't the type of fear-inducing name I would have liked to have, but I was with my friends, nothing else mattered. Rag and Nitro put their hands on mine, followed by Amy, Drew, and Marco, then finally Ray. We raised our hands high into the air and called out the name of our guild

"Snowflake forever!" I had no idea how quickly I would lose it all…

I slowly opened my eyes and for a moment I stared into the sun, blinding me momentarily. I closed my eyes and stood up, shirtless I stretched and yawned before opening my eyes once more to attune them to the sun. I looked down at a sleeping Eliza and Tal before looking at my body; golden scar covered my entire body, down my broken arm, on my chest, back, and on my other arm, my hands, bloody, red, and sore from last night's vicious training session. With a single word and the thought of the potion shop in Orbis I raised my hand and after being engulfed in a pillar of fire, I was inside the potion shop, which was inhabited by two angels.

I took a step forward toward the duo and fell to one knee with a cough.

"Are you okay, weary traveler?" A golden winged angel took a step forward and held out a hand. I took her hand and stood up, looking into her mysterious blue eyes as I did so. I nodded and reached into my pocket and handed her a handful of coins, enough for a large bottle of water. The girl handed me a bottle of water and I took it, exchanging the coins with her; I turned to face the exit, meanwhile a man entered. He was lanky with shaggy blond hair. He held a gun in one hand and a small satchel in the other; He looked into my eyes then dropped his satchel, grabbing an oversized sheet of paper as it fell. He showed me the piece of paper, it was a poster, a wanted poster with a picture of me.

"Fox, I found you" The man's hand shook as he held up a gleaming silver pistol at my bare chest. I glared at the man, and he started to shake even more, trembling more and more with each breath. After a long minute, he dropped his gun; was I really that strong? Terrifying? Overwhelming?

I scoffed, then whispered two words close to my heart. With that and a whirlwind of fire, I was back at the platform, beside Tal and Eliza, who continued to sleep. I fell to my knees before Eliza and poured some of the bottled water onto my hands. I put my hands onto Eliza's fur and rubbed around, cleaning off my dried blood, thoroughly waking up Eliza.

Eliza looked at me, I didn't know if she was confused, or annoyed. "What are you doing?"

I poured more water onto my hands and dove once more into her thick and lush black fur "Last night" I sighed "I covered you in blood, sleeping on you while bleeding" I closed my eyes with a smile.

Eliza yawned and allowed me to continue, as I did so I looked out of the corner of my eyes and looked into her fluorescent gold eyes; something was wrong. All I could see was sadness and regret, over something she would do? Something she has done? Thoughts flowed through my mind.

"There" I smiled then stood up, wiping the excess water onto my pants.

"Fox…" Eliza called to me quietly.

"Yeah?" I answered with my usual upbeat voice.

"Good-bye…Fox" I looked over to Eliza, and with a single swipe of her claws, my eyesight faded away.

With one last look at Eliza, my eyesight was gone.


End file.
